Weighted exercise bar

ABSTRACT

A weighted exercise bar has an elongate housing with an inner cavity extending between a first end and a second end of the elongate housing. There is an access opening to the inner cavity, and three or more elongate elements are removably disposed in the inner cavity. There is at least one weighted element adjacent to the first end or the second end and at least one spacer element. A combined length of the elongate elements is substantially the same as a length of the inner cavity.

FIELD

This relates to a weighted exercise bar, such as a stick that has a similar size and shape to an escrima stick.

BACKGROUND

Escrima sticks are used in a class of Filipino martial arts, and have become popular for exercise and self-defence.

SUMMARY

There is provided a weighted exercise bar comprising an elongate housing having an inner cavity extending between a first end and a second end of the elongate housing. There is an access opening to the inner cavity. Three or more elongate elements are removably disposed in the inner cavity. There is at least one weighted element adjacent to the first end or the second end and at least one spacer element, a combined length of the elongate elements being substantially the same as a length of the inner cavity. The elongate elements are preferably all the same length.

According to another aspect, there may be a weighted element adjacent to both the first end and the second end separated by a spacer element, or there may be a weighted element adjacent to the first end and spacer elements filling the remainder of the cavity.

According to another aspect, there is provided a method of exercising, comprising the steps of: providing a weighted exercise bar as described above, and inserting the elongate elements into the inner cavity through the access opening such that at least one weighted element is adjacent to the first end or the second end.

According to another aspect, the method may further comprise the step of reconfiguring the elongate elements in the inner cavity to adjust the weight distribution along the elongate housing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features will become more apparent from the following description in which reference is made to the appended drawings, the drawings are for the purpose of illustration only and are not intended to be in any way limiting, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a partially transparent side elevation view of a weighted exercise bar.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A weighted exercise bar generally identified by reference numeral 10 will now be described with reference to FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 1, weighted exercise bar 10 includes an elongate housing 12 with an inner cavity 14 extending between a first end 16 and a second end 18 of elongate housing 12. As exercise bar 10 is intended for use in exercises similar to movements related to those in escrima, housing 12 is preferably covered by a soft cover 20 such as plastic foam and has a wrist strap 22 to prevent damage to objects or other people during use. Soft cover 12 may also act as a hand grip.

Housing 12 has an access opening 24 to inner cavity 14. As shown, access opening 24 is a threaded cap 25 at first end 16. At second end 18, there may be a resilient component 26, such as a rubberized stop or spring, to prevent rattling during use. Resilient components 26 may also be combined with the threaded cap 25.

Three or more elongate elements 28 are provided to be removably inserted into inner cavity 14. The combined length of the elongate elements 28 are substantially the same as the length of inner cavity 14, and the diameters are preferably the similar, such that when cavity 14 is filled, elongate elements 28 are held securely between first end 16 and second end 18 tom minimize rattling during use. As shown, cavity 14 is filled by three elongate elements 28. In a preferred embodiment, there are preferably three weighted elements and three spacer elements. The spacer elements weight very little, and are preferably made from plastic. The weighted elements are preferably made from metal or other heavy materials.

During use, weighted and spacer elements 28 are inserted into elongate housing to provide a desired weight distribution, based on the strength of the individual (e.g. to avoid placing too much stress on the wrist) and the type of exercise being performed. For example, there may be a weighted element at first end 16 that is gripped by the user, and spacer elements in the rest, there may be a weight at second end 18 away from the grip of the user, there may be a weight at both ends to balance housing 12, there may be a weight in the middle and at either or both ends, there may be a spacer at one end and weights in the rest, or housing 12 may be filled with all spacer or all weighted elements.

It will be understood that other options are available for elongate elements 28. For example, there may be four or more elongate elements, there may be full length elements and half-length elements, or there may be elements of different weight, each of which allows a user more control over the weight distribution in housing 12.

In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be one and only one of the elements.

The following claims are to be understood to include what is specifically illustrated and described above, what is conceptually equivalent, and what can be obviously substituted. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various adaptations and modifications of the described embodiments can be configured without departing from the scope of the claims. The illustrated embodiments have been set forth only as examples and should not be taken as limiting the invention. It is to be understood that, within the scope of the following claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically illustrated and described. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A weighted exercise bar, comprising: an elongate housing having an inner cavity extending between a first end and a second end of the elongate housing; an access opening to the inner cavity; three or more elongate elements removably disposed in the inner cavity, comprising at least one weighted element adjacent to the first end or the second end and at least one spacer element, a combined length of the elongate elements being substantially the same as a length of the inner cavity.
 2. The weighted exercise bar of claim 1, wherein the elongate elements are all the same length.
 3. The weighted exercise bar of claim 1, comprising a weighted element adjacent to both the first end and the second end separated by a spacer element.
 4. The weighted exercise bar of claim 1, comprising a weighted element adjacent to the first end and spacer elements filling the remainder of the cavity.
 5. The weighted exercise bar of claim 1, wherein at least one spacer element is positioned between two weighted elements.
 6. A method of exercising, comprising: providing a weighted exercise bar, comprising: an elongate housing having an inner cavity extending between a first end and a second end of the elongate housing, and an access opening to the inner cavity; providing three or more elongate elements, comprising at least one weighted element and at least one spacer element, a combined length of the elongate elements being substantially the same as a length of the inner cavity; inserting the elongate elements into the inner cavity through the access opening such that at least one weighted element is adjacent to the first end or the second end.
 7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of reconfiguring the elongate elements in the inner cavity to adjust the weight distribution along the elongate housing. 